Arnold B. Grobman (April 28, 1918 – July 8, 2012) was an American

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...

Biography

Grobman was born on April 28, 1918, in Newark, New Jersey as Morton Arnold Grobman, later changing his name to Arnold Brams Grobman, taking his mother's maiden name as his middle name. He received his education in the public school system in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in Ann Arbor, earning his bachelor's degree in 1939. In 1943, he received a PhD from

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

, then became an instructor in the Department of Zoology, a position that he kept through 1944. From 1944 to 1946, he was a

Research Associate Research associates are researchers (scholars and professionals) that usually have an advanced degree beyond a Master's degree. In some universities/research institutes, such as Harvard/Harvard Medical School/Harvard School of Public Health, the ...

on the

Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...

, later publishing "Our Atomic Heritage" about his experiences. He moved to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in 1946 to teach at the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

in Gainesville, where he stayed until 1959, working as an

assistant professor Assistant Professor is an academic rank just below the rank of an associate professor used in universities or colleges, mainly in the United States and Canada. Overview This position is generally taken after earning a doctoral degree and general ...

, then becoming associate professor of biology, a position he held from 1950 to 1952. From 1952 to 1959, he was the director of the Florida State Museum. In 1959, he moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he became the director or the

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study BSCS Science Learning, formerly known as Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS), is an educational center that develops curricular materials, provides educational support, and conducts research and evaluation in the fields of science and techn ...

(BSCS) at the

University of Colorado The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, and the University of Co ...

. In 1965, he moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey, taking the position of dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

. From 1967 to 1972, he worked as the dean of

Rutgers College Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

, within the university. In 1972, he became

Vice-Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth n ...

of Academic Affairs at the Chicago Circle at

the University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Universi ...

, then was appointed special assistant to the President from 1974 to 1976. In 1976, he moved to Missouri, where he had been selected as the Chancellor and a Professor of Biology at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

. In 1986, he retired from the chancellorship and was named Chancellor Emeritus and Research Professor. In 1988, he left St. Louis and moved to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, publishing "Lizards of Virgin Gorda." He later moved to Vero Beach, Florida, then to Oak Hammock in Gainesville, Florida. His published works focused on

herpetology Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (gymnophiona)) and rept ...

, but he also published on science and education. He held offices in many organizations, including the

American Association of Museums American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, the

American Institute of Biological Sciences The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is a nonprofit scientific charity. The organization’s mission is to promote the use of science to inform decision-making and advance biology for the benefit of science and society. Overvie ...

, and the

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) is an international learned society devoted to the scientific studies of ichthyology (study of fish) and herpetology (study of reptiles and amphibians). The primary emphases of the ...

, of which he was a secretary from 1952 to 1957, and later as a president in 1964. He was married to Hulda Gross Grobman and had two children, Marc Ross Grobman and Beth Alison Grobman. On July 8, 2012, he died in Gainesville, Florida at the age of 94.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grobman, Arnold B. 1918 births 2012 deaths People from Newark, New Jersey University of Michigan alumni University of Rochester alumni University of Colorado faculty University of Illinois faculty University of Missouri faculty American zoologists Manhattan Project people